i got a 21 inch barrel on my 870....for turkey hunting i wouldnt have it any other way...lighter and easy to carry and manuver....i love it.....you loose a little velocity...but nothing too major....patterning....some say it helps some say it hurts......i say it doesnt effect it.....a good choke and load combo that it likes will still shoot a tight pattern.......but if i was using the gun for multipurpose id go with 28......i like 28s for my bird hunting....i think they swing better....